Swiss diplomats accredited to Myanmar contacted local authorities after the arrest of a Swiss national accused of producing and directing a film that violates the “morality and dignity” of Buddhism.
In response to a request from Agence France-Presse, a spokesperson said by email on Saturday, “The matter has been reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is being investigated. There is a diplomatic mission in the country. Please contact the relevant authorities,” without disclosing further details.
In a statement, the ruling military council indicated that Didier Nussbaum, 52, had been arrested on August 8 after posting a film “insulting the morality and dignity of Buddhist monks” on YouTube and TikTok in July.
In the 75-minute film, “a young woman used obscene and insulting words against Buddhist culture and traditions by violating the virtues of monks,” the statement added.
All 13 people who worked on the film were arrested for “acting negligently (…) to offend the morals and dignity of the monks”.
Without specifying that Nussbaumer had been detained, the military committee confirmed that “action will be taken against those arrested”.
Buddhists make up the largest percentage of Myanmar’s population, and monks and prayer are an integral part of their daily lives.
In 2016, the judiciary in Myanmar sentenced a Dutch tourist to three months in prison for blasphemy after he was fed up with noise from a group performing religious rituals at a Buddhist temple, so he went to the temple and cut the wires connected to it. For outdoor loudspeakers, in Mandalay.
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